Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Easter Tridium and is one of the most important commemorations of the liturgical year. Christ, in preparation for His Passion, shares the Pasch with His disciples. In so doing, Our Lord institutes the three pillars of the Catholic Church: the Hierarchy, the Mass and the Eucharist.

On the very night that Our Lord shares this divinely instituted meal with His Apostles, the traitor Judas goes forth to trade his Master for thirty pieces of silver. The Passion is drawing nigh, for now the Son of Man is taken captive and shall be delivered up as an expiation for all the sins of man.

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The following guide for Maundy Thursday is taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger.

Hyperlinks are shown in blue to provide the music that ideally accompanies the ceremonies.

Matins

The Pater Noster, Ave, and Credo are said in secret, then the first Nocturn begins.

First Nocturn

An Antiphon is sung before and after each of the Psalms. After each Psalm one of the fifteen candles is extinguished. The Psalms for Maundy Thursday are said in the following order:

At this point the six altar candles are extinguished, leaving only a single lit candle

Ant. Traditor autem.... Christus factus est...

The Pater Noster is said in secret. The choir sings Miserere in a suppressed voice while the first in dignity says the following prayer:

Respice, quaesumus, Domine...

Then in secret:Qui tecum vivit et...

The Choir recites the Antiphon and the remaining lit candle is hidden behind the altar.

At this point a harsh noise is made using a wooden implement called a matraca until the lit candle is brought back from behind the altar, showing by its light that the office of Tenebrae is over.

Traditionally the reconciliation of penitents was done at this time, followed by the blessing of the holy oils, but these
ceremonies are no longer widely observed.

The Mass of Maundy Thursday uses white vestments, and two hosts are consecrated. One consecrated
Host is used for the Priest, while the other is saved for Good Friday. Good Friday permits no consecration, so the
Host must be preserved from the day before.

As soon as the Mass is over a procession takes place to bring the remaining consercrated Host to its resting place. There the body of Our Lord will await Good
Friday and be open to supplication by the faithful. During the procession the choir sings the well known hymn written by St. Thomas Aquinas: Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium.

Upon reaching his destination, the priest places the chalice upon the altar and censes the
Sacred Host. After short prayers in silence, the choirs returns to the choir loft and Vespers are begun.

The Pater Noster is said in secret and the Miserere is recited in a suppressed voice, followed by a prayer. This marks the end of Vespers.

The Stripping of the Altars

As soon as Vespers are over, the altar is stripped of its cloths and ornaments and left barren to denote the suspension of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The altar is left in this state until Our Lord is risen again.

The Washing of the Feet, known also as the Mandatum, is traditionally done at this time by the Pope who would wash the feet of thirteen priests in imitation of Our Lord washing the feet of the Apostles. Washing the feet of the poor is an act of humility and charity that was once widespread in Christendom, but has since largely fallen into disuse.

The celebrant takes off his cope, girds himself with a towel, and washes the feet of those chosen for this ceremony. He kisses the right foot of each while the choir sings the following antiphons.